News

Mar 01, 2018

ANTI-WORKER BILL CLEARS VIRGINIA SENATE

RICHMOND -- This afternoon, HB 375 patroned by Delegate Glenn Davis (R-Virginia Beach) cleared the Senate on a party-line vote. The anti-worker bill prohibits localities from establishing a wage floor for public contracts that exceeds state requirements. Senate Democrats voted as a bloc against the measure which takes authority away from local governments in a way that snubs hardworking Virginians. The bill -- which is identical to last year's HB 1753, vetoed by Governor Terry McAuliffe -- now makes its way to the desk of the Governor Ralph Northam.

Speaking in opposition to the bill on the Senate Floor, Senator Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) said, "This bill is an infringement on the authority of local government. We need to give local government the flexibility to determine if an increase in minimum wage is necessary to really secure the products and services that they really need."

Senate Democratic Leader Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax) said, "Nobody is forced to bid. Everyone is bidding the same way so nobody is at a competitive disadvantage. Everybody knows what's expected. In the ten years this has been in existence I don't know a single local government that has complained to their local representatives that this is a bad idea."

Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) said, "This is not a nefarious practice; this is a way to ensure that people in our localities make a reasonable wage. Everyone who works hard deserves to raise a family with dignity. This is a decision that local governments need to make, and the General Assembly should not be dictating the terms of local level contracts."